Ithographer



H. A. M0033. Handle for Tools.

Patented Feb. 24', 1880.

Fig. 2.

Fig:

MINVENTOR.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. MOORE, or TEXAS, GEORGIA.

HANDLE FOR TOOLS.

I at

SPECIFICATION forming part of, Letters Patent No. 224,786, datedFebruary 24, 1880.

Application filed March 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

dle not only at the upper end of the confining" I ferrule, where it ismost liable to break from a T the necessary jars, blows, and strain, butto a give it a yielding strength throughout its entire length. It iswell known that the handles of picks,

hoes, hammers, rakes, and the likeare usually provided withferrules,which receive the shank of the tool, or other securing means.In such constructions the ferrule is an element of strength to thehandle so far as it extends but at or near the point where the ferruleand shank terminate is foundthe weakest part of the handle. To obviatethis difficulty thisinvention is designed.

In carrying out my invention I employ an ordinary "wooden handle boredthrough its longitudinal center from end to end. The central bore thusformedreceives a wrought-iron 3o. jnamental button or head and at theother or steel rod provided at one end with an orwith a screw-threadtoreceive a confining-nut. The turning and boring of the handle may bedone at one or separate operations, and the inclosed rod is readilyapplied. Thisrod not only strengthens the handle throughout its entirelength, but in practice it forms a part of the handle, and is not liableto be mislaid or lost. -Its binding-bearing operates against the ends ofthe longitudinal fibers of the wood, I and thus not only strengthens thehandle by its lateral strength, but by the said bearing upontheends,governed by the nut, its strength is multiplied.

At the tool end of the handle I provide a ferrule of smaller diameterthan the handle,

which is cutaway to accommodate it. This ferrule has a closed head,except where it is perforated to receive the central rod, and isprovided with tenons, which are received into corresponding mortises inthe tool proper.

It will thus be observed that while the head of the rod is adapted tobear. against the longitudinal fibers of the,handle at the free end, theferrule bears with its entire area upon the ends of the fibers at. theopposite end.

Bands or ferrules are provided at proper distances apart along. thehandle, as shown.

The tool is provided with acentral aperture to receive the central rod,and with piortises to receive the tenons on the ferrule, and theportions of the toolleft between the central aperture and the mortisesbear directly upon the head of the ferrule.

In this construction not only is the handle strengthened at the weakpoint before mentioned, but the pressure upon each end of the fibersexerted bythe confining-nut is an element of great strength to the wood,in addition to the strength of the rod itself.

Referrin g to the drawings, Figure l is a view of the inner face of thetool; Fig. 2, a section thereof; Fig. 3-, a longitudinal section of thehandle, and Fig. 4: a top View of the ferrule.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

I A represeirt'sthe tool, A the central aperture, and at the mortises.

B represents the wooden handle, bored through its longitudinal center,as shown, to receive the rod 0, having threaded portion 0, and providedwith rounded head 0. The wooden handle is cut away, as shown at b, to

accommodate a ferrule, B, having head 0, perforated at e to receive therod 0, and provided with tenons d, which operate in the mortises a ofthe tool A.

b I) represent bands or ferrules, and c the confining-nut. v I am awarethat mortises and tenons have been employed heretofore for similarpurposes,

and that the tool has been made removable by "nut and screw connections;but in such constructions the confining means and ferrule end atapproximately the same point, and the handle proper is proportionatelyweakened at that point by being cut away or bored to accommodate suchdevices. This construction is shown in PateutNo. 88,884., of April 13,1869, upon which this invention is designed as an improvement.

I am also aware that a socket has been em ployed to receive the toolproper and hold it securely against the free end of the handle. Thissocket is secured to or formed in one with a hollow rod which extendsthrough the handle and is held by a nut, as shown in Patent No. 32,249,of 1861; but such construction is expensive, complicated, inconvenient,and unreliable. The socket can operate only with peculiarly-formedtools. The tool is liable to turn upon the handle, and the toolhas to bemade in such form, with shouldered recesses, as to adapt it to thehandle. None of these constructions are sought to be covered by thisapplication.

1 deem it important to obviate the necessity I of partially removing thecentral rod when ever it is desired to change the tool, as, fromswelling of the wood or rust when exposed to the weather, the rod isliable to bind and be difficult to move within the handle. In myconstruction this fault is entirely avoided.

What I claim is In a tool-handle, the combination of the centrally-boredwooden handle B b, as shown, and the ferrule B e e d, with the solid rod0, having rounded head 0 and threaded portion 0, formed in one, and withthe nut 0 and tool A A a, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of 0 two witnesses.

HENRY ALEXANDER MOORE.

Witnesses:

J. T. ARMSTRONG, OIoERo B. MoOU'rcHEN.

